


CJ's Proposition

by piperset



Series: Tomorrow [2]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: All the banter, Also a reminder to respect your local food service worker, Don't be like CJ and be rude to them, Especially now that we're in a pandemic, F/M, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Okay time to stop writing tags time to post, Romance, These guys are hopeless but they love each other, i love writing banter, lots of banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29659038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piperset/pseuds/piperset
Summary: A week before inauguration, Danny's enjoying a night out with CJ, but she's got something on the tip of her tongue...
Relationships: Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg
Series: Tomorrow [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2177340
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8





	CJ's Proposition

**Author's Note:**

> Part 2 of my "Tomorrow" series. This can serve as a bit of a prelude to "The Inaugural Ball," which I'll probably be marking as part 3. I hope you enjoy!

**Somewhere in Downtown DC**

**January 13th, 2007**

“You’re probably wondering why I asked you here tonight.”

Danny raised an eyebrow. “I was going off of the assumption that you liked me?”

“Well, that’s part of it.”

“Good, ‘cause that was gonna be a whole other thing if you disagreed.”

“Don’t get me off track, Danny. I’m – how does one put it? – _communicating_.”

Danny’s voice was gentle. “I can see.”

“This is new to me.” She fidgeted nervously.

“You’re doing very well.”

She paused, staring at him for a moment with an almost disbelieving half-smile on her face. Then suddenly, she blinked and was back to business. “Right. Whatever. So what I was saying, is that I asked you here tonight because–”

“Can I get you two anything else?” The honeyed voice of their waitress cut CJ off mid-sentence. She swallowed uncomfortably, having not expected the interruption. Danny shot her a look that clearly said _I’ll handle it_ before turning the server.

“We’re fine, thanks.”

“Are you sure? Do you want me to refill your drink?” She gestured to Danny’s empty wine glass. He shrugged defeatedly, accepting his fate.

“Sure – yeah. Thank you.”

“Alright, I’ll do that. Let me know if there’s anything else you need!” 

CJ exhaled, leaning back in her chair as their interruptor walked away. Danny raised his eyebrows.

“We don’t have very good luck with waitresses, do we?”

“We really don’t.”

“Must be karma for all those times I asked you out and you said no.”

CJ’s expression was rueful as she poked at her buratta. “Maybe.” She hesitated. “You probably know this, but I really do wish I could’ve said yes more often.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. This might’ve been a whole lot easier if I had.”

“Eh, probably not. I think that list you made back then had some good points.” His eyes flashed mischievously. “Plus, it wasn’t all a waste. I did squeeze in one date before things went south.”

“That was a business dinner,” CJ replied automatically.

“Ah, worth a shot,” said Danny, chuckling more to himself than anything else. “Alright, I'll stop beating around the bush. I believe you had a proposition for me?”

CJ’s eyes narrowed. “How’d you know I’ve got a proposition?”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, let’s hear it.”

“Fine,” CJ bit her lip nervously, debating whether or not to lay it all out on the table. In the end, her nerves won out and she took a less direct approach. She gestured to the restaurant around them. “This is, uh, _nice_.”

“It is.”

“Your Taglatelle looks delicious.”

“You’re free to try some.”

“I’m good.”

“Okay.”

CJ gathered her bearings, and tried to ignore the shameless grin that was spreading across Danny’s face. “What I mean to say is, it’s nice to be – doing this. With you, I mean.”

“It is.”

She grimaced. “ _God_ , you were so much better at this back in October.”

“Please keep going.”

“Okay. How do I put this? _I enjoy spending time with you_.”

Danny laughed. “I should hope so. We’ve been sleeping together for three months.”

“ _Danny–”_

“I’m just saying, the feeling is mutual.”

“You’re tripping me up.”

“Sorry, it’s a habit.”

She looked at him pointedly. “ _I’ve noticed_.”

“Okay, I’ll lay off.”

“That’s great. Now don’t let your head get too big, because I’m about to ask you something very mushy and romantic.”

“You’re really winding me up on this, aren’t you?”

“Be careful, or I’ll change my mind.”

Danny said nothing; he just looked at CJ with those adoring eyes that absolutely melted her heart. CJ couldn’t help giving into temptation, staring back at him like an enamored schoolgirl for a few moments before snapping herself out of it. Her voice wavered as she continued. “So, what I was _saying_ was – inauguration is next week, and, well, that usually involves some sort of–”

“ _So_ sorry to interrupt, but they’re out of the wine you ordered.” The saccharine-voiced waitress had swooped back over to Danny, seemingly from out of nowhere. CJ tried to hide her frustration as the woman continued. “We’ve got a cabernet and a sauvignon blanc; which would you prefer?”

Danny kept his eyes on CJ as he slowly replied, “You know what, I think I’m good. I have to drive home after this.”

“Well, how about some more water? Or I can get you some tea–”

CJ finally interrupted. “Yeah, actually, could we have a moment, please?”

The waitress turned to her, with more than a little enmity in her eyes. “Of course,” she said cooly. “I’m so sorry if I bothered you.” She stalked away.

Danny watched her as she left before turning back to CJ. “Damn. I’m not one to judge, but that was…”

“Bitchy? I know. I get impatient sometimes.” 

“I was gonna say ‘weirdly arousing,’ but that works too.”

CJ looked at him indignantly. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“ _Y_ _ou’re_ not very nice to service workers,” Danny countered.

“I tip very well.”

“I should hope as much. Did you know that in some states, tipped workers are paid as little as 2 dollars an hour?”

“You’re killing me, Danny.”

“Hmm. I wonder if either of us know anyone important, maybe in government or something, who could do something about that.”

CJ rolled her eyes goodnaturedly. “I’ll be sure to refer you to the head of the House Education and Labor Committee.”

“Just doing my duty as a concerned citizen,” he replied, putting his hands up. “And my answer is yes, by the way,” he added nonchalantly.

CJ stopped in her tracks. “Wait. What?”

“To your question. From before.”

_“You don’t even know what I was going to ask!”_

“It had something to do with the Inaugural balls, didn’t it?”

CJ was sputtering. “Well, _yes_ , but–”

“Then I would love to be your date.”

“Well, then–” CJ was at a loss. “That’s – that’s _great_ , Danny. But–”

“You wanted to…” Danny’s eyes widened suddenly, and he shook his head, cursing himself. “ _Oh._ Oh my god. _Shit_ , I leapfrogged it. Look, I’m so sorry.”

CJ was blushing. “It’s okay.” 

“No, it’s not. I need to stop messing with you.”

“It’s kind of cute,” CJ admitted.

Danny reached across the table for her hand, and CJ took it awkwardly. “Hey, listen, I mean it – that was bad on my part. Wanna try this again?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I’m all ears.”

CJ took in a deep breath, looking him straight in his piercing blue eyes. “Danny, would you like to attend one of the Inaugural Balls with me?”

“Yes,” he replied immediately.

“You realize this will be akin to making our relationship _official_.”

“I’m okay with that if you are.”

CJ bit her bottom lip, trying (and failing) to hide her growing grin. 

“Let's do it.”

It was more than a bit surprising, CJ thought later – she hadn’t realized jumping off a cliff would be that easy.


End file.
